Man arrested in Bradford in connection with Christmas Day migrant Channel crossing bid

A MAN has been arrested in Bradford on suspicion of people smuggling offences during an investigation into an attempt to reach the UK by small boat on Christmas Day 2018.

The 25-year-old man was arrested this morning (Weds Feb 27) and is being interviewed by National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators.

It follows the arrest of a 37-year-old man in north west London on Wednesday January 30.

He was questioned by the NCA and released under investigation.

The investigation follows the arrival of a small boat carrying a number of migrants into Folkestone in Kent on December 25 2018.

Steve Reynolds, head of the NCA-led Invigor organised immigration crime task force, said: “It is clear that there has been a significant element of organised criminality involved in recent attempts to cross the Channel using small boats, and it is something law enforcement both here and in France is working hard to disrupt.

“We are committed to doing everything in our power to bring people smugglers targeting the UK to justice, whether they are operating in the UK itself or France.”

Invigor is the UK’s Organised Immigration Crime Taskforce set up to target the criminal networks behind people smuggling impacting on the UK and the European borders.

It is led by the NCA and includes Immigration Enforcement, Crown Prosecution Service, Border Force and the Home Office working in the UK and internationally.